Won't pay Rs 260 fine; catch Mallya first, says ticket-less traveller

Bengaluru, Jun 18: As many as 210 new COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths have been reported in Karnataka, taking the total cases to 7,944 and death toll to 114, said State Health Department.

Today, 179 persons have been discharged across the State while 4,983 persons have been discharged so far.

The number of total active cases in Karnataka stands at 2,843.

The COVID-19 count in India has reached 3,66,946 on Thursday, according to the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry (MoHFW).

The death toll due to COVID-19 has now reached 12,237. The COVID-19 count includes 1,60,384 active cases, while 1,94,325 patients have been cured and discharged or migrated so far.

Mangaluru, Mar 25: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has so far given nod to three private laboratories in Karnataka for testing COVID-19. The ICMR comes under the Department of Health, Government of India

The three labs are KMC Hospital Manipal, Shankar Research Centre's laboratory, and SRL laboratory on Bowring Hospital Road at Shivajinagar, Bengaluru.

Eight private labs from Maharashtra, two from Haryana, three from Tamil Nadu, four from Delhi, and three each from Karnataka and Gujarat have been given permission. 

These labs have over 15,000 collection centres all over the country. Blood samples and throat swabs of coronavirus suspects can be given at these centres.

Feb 25: Two Customs Preventive officers allegedly involved in gold smuggling cases in Kerala were removed from service, a top official said in Kochi on Monday.

Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kochi, said that he took action against Radhakrishnan B, Superintendent of Customs, and Rahul, Inspector of Customs, who were allegedly involved in gold smuggling cases in the state.

Radhakrishnan was involved in attempted smuggling of gold weighing 24998.61 grams having a market value of over Rs 8 crore through Thiruvananthapuram international airport on May 13, 2019, Kumar said.

Rahul was involved in attempted smuggling of gold weighing 11,035.54 grams valued at over Rs 4 crore through international airport on August 19, 2019, the Customs Commissioner added.

Radhakrishnan is currently lodged in Central prison, Thiruvananthapuram after the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau under the Union Finance Ministry issued detention order under COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974).

Rahul, against whom detention order under COFEPOSA was issued, is absconding.

"Two Customs officers of the Customs Preventive Commissionerate, Kochi, who were involved in gold smuggling cases were removed from service by Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Cochin," an official release said.

Kumar said that both the cases were booked and investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and while show cause notice under Customs Act 1962 has been issued against Radhakrishnan, investigation is under progress in the other case.

"Both the officers were removed from service, after due process of law under Rule 19 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965," the release said.